The invention relates to a method of influencing power consumption of a process being executed on a computer system, comprising calculating an estimate of usage of at least one system resource by the process, converting the estimate of usage into a power consumption estimate, monitoring a time period during which the process is in an idle state and influencing at least one aspect of the computer system if the power consumption estimate exceeds a predefined limit while the process is in an idle state. Preferably this influencing comprises automatic termination of the process if the power consumption estimate exceeds the predefined limit. The at least one system resource may be selected from the group of: a central processing unit (CPU), a storage medium such as a hard disk, a monitor, a graphics card and a communications bus.